By Marco Carta

ROME (Reuters] – An Italian appeals court reduced Thursday the sentences imposed by two American tourists for their life sentence in the case of the murder of a Italian policeman. This was a shocking case which rocked Italy.

Court ruled Finnegan Lee Elder (19 years old at the time) should spend 24 years behind bars for stabbing Mario Cerciello Rega, leading to his death in central Rome.

Gabriel Christian Natalehjorth (then 18), was sentenced to a 22 year term. He was not able to handle the weapon of murder during the attack, but he had a fight with another officer.

Elder confessed to the murder, but Natale-Hjorth and he both said that they acted in self defense because they believed the policemen who weren’t in uniform were out to take them.

According to Rega, Andrea Varriale and Andrea Varriale both hail from California. Varriale refuted this.

The appeals court didn’t immediately provide reasons for the decision to lower prison sentences.

Elder’s attorney said that Elder would appeal the verdict to Italy’s highest court and to the European Court of Human Rights (Strasbourg).

Renato Bolzon told reporters, “The sentence was a compromise that is not our liking.” Renato Borzone stated that after the ruling was made Renato Borzone claimed that no evidence was available to show that the police identified themselves in order to prevent the Americans from being stopped.

Elder and NataleHjorth were on vacation in Rome and attempted to purchase drugs from a dealer at a hotspot for tourists. Although they claimed that they had been duped, Elder and Natale-Hjorth managed to steal a bag from an intermediary who was trying to escape.

After they agreed to return to the dealer, the pair exchanged the bag and got their money. However, the two officers showed up. Elder stated that they were attacked by the duo.

The police say that Cerciello Rega (who had just got married) was not armed. Elder used an 18cm (7-inch), blade he had taken from the United States to stab Cerciello Rega 11 times.

The ruling was welcomed by Cerciello Rega’s spouse, a lawyer.

Massimo Ferrandino stated, “We are satisfied…No sentence can ease the pain of Cerciello’s widow. But the sacrifice made by a state official wasn’t in vain.”